1. Could you tell us a little background about yourself and why you decided to sell
product?

After working in the animation industry making puppets
for TV & films for several years I realised that I really wanted to write
and illustrate my own picture books. Two little characters, Clara and Macy,
just popped into my head one day but knowing how difficult it is to break into
the world of publishing I came up with a plan! I thought that if I could design
some products based around Clara and Macy, and get some interest that way, then
I could prove to the publishers that it was a good book idea. I was really
lucky and the products started selling well - the business became a 'real'
business and suddenly it all became so busy that I haven't even had time to
contact any publishers!

2. What are the important things to keep in mind when
researching the products you wish to sell and why did you choose the particular products that
you sell now?

I am a great believer in gut feelings and loving your own
products. I don't want to sell any products that I don't completely love. I
think researching prices and the market in general is important too but it's
not the main focus for me. It comes second. Looking at trends can be helpful
too.

3. Which has been the most effective avenue for you to
sell your products and which would
you recommend?

Joining Not On The High Street has changed my life.
Truly. It is by far my most effective sales avenue and I wouldn't have my
business without them. I have been lucky enough to have had products included
in their catalogues and promotions, and that has had a massive impact on my
success on the website. I also sell via Etsy but it isn't nearly as effective
for me sales wise. I would definitely recommend Noths to people, and do quite
often!

*NOTHS is Not on the high street - A selling platform in the UK

4. How important is having a business mentor (if you use
one) How have they helped you grow your business?

I started working with my business mentor in July and it
has been amazing. She has helped me grow the business, and make decisions that
I didn't even think were in my reach. I think having a business mentor can be
great but finding the right person for you is crucial, you both need to be on
exactly the same page with what you're hoping to achieve together. Jenny (Jenny Hyde) has
helped my business confidence massively, and has helped me figure out some of
the big things like taking on staff, becoming a Limited Company, forecasting
sales for 2015 etc. It's been fantastic!

5. How important do you think selling platforms (outside
of your own website) are?

I can say for certain that I wouldn't be where I am now
without Noths. I don't currently have my own e-commerce website (it's being
built at the moment) and so Noths has been crucial to my business success. They
take care of a lot of the marketing and promotion so that I don't need to worry
about it as much. Things like SEO can be really difficult to work through on
your own so it's really helpful to have some extra help with things like that
through Noths. That doesn't mean that you don't need to put any effort in, but
it is great to know that you have the support right there.

6. How much has wholesaling been a part of your success?

Wholesaling isn't something I've been actively seeking so
far with the business. I've been lucky enough to wholesale to a few great
independent shops and places like The National Gallery, but it's not been the
focus yet. It is however part of my big plan for 2015 - I'm hoping to launch an
entire wholesale side to the business with a dedicated website for it.

7. Looking back, what would you do differently if you
were to start all over again?

Ooh tricky one! If I were to do it all again I think I
would be braver. I would try really hard to have more confidence in my own
ability to run a business, design good products, and make the big decisions.
I've spent a lot of time worrying about whether I'm doing things right, but
doing it again I definitely wouldn't let myself get so worried and stressed
about things. But I'm slowly learning to be more like that!

8. Any extra tips and advice for budding
designers who want to sell their own product?

Just go for it! Trust your gut feelings, create things
you love first then price them sensibly and do the research to see if you can
improve anything to make it more marketable. If personalised products are
selling really well on your chosen marketplace, then consider how you might be
able to offer that with your own products. It can be great to boost sales with
something like that, but equally don't try to force it. A great product will
sell well without those extra features.

If you're selling online then I also think that great
photos are key. It's really worth investing the time to try and get the best images
of your products that you can. Paying attention to the market you're selling
them on is really helpful too. Noths for example really like lifestyle shots,
whereas other sites like cut out shots. So be sure to target your photos
accordingly.

Finding support that you really trust is also key. It can
be really hard working running your own business (a lot of people compare it to
having a newborn baby and I'd say that's about right!). Having support from
people that understand - other people in the same position, a mentor, a forum -
can be a lifesaver.

Good luck!

Thanks so much Laura. We wish you all the very best for the future!

We hope you have loved the blogs and have lots of ideas now swimming around your heads. I'm all for sharing what I learn about business as I travel along my journey and up those mountains, so please share, share, share and let us know what you have thought of the series. Has it been helpful to you?

One more huge thank you to all of the artists and designers who have shared their tips and knowledge with us all. I for one really, really appreciate them taking time out from their busy schedules to sit down and share everything they have learnt about selling product with us. Thank you xxx

If you have any comments, we would love to hear from you. Please comment below

Hello, we are the Benyon family, living the simple life in Sandbach, a lovely, small countryside village in Cheshire. More than anything we love hill walking with Dougal our dog, getting out and about in the stunning local countryside.

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Hello, we are the Benyon family, living the simple life in Sandbach, a lovely, small countryside village in Cheshire. More than anything we love hill walking with Dougal our dog, getting out and about in the stunning local countryside.